Watch YoungBoy Never Broke Again Share His Journey in ‘Who Am I?’

Before the biggest rap stars became who they are today, they were unknown newcomers who were finding their footing in hip-hop. With the power of the internet and social media, new, young rappers are becoming bigger names within a shorter period of time. So before they become household names, you should get to know the path they walked on to get to where they are now.

For the latest installment of XXL's Who Am I?, a video series in which young upstarts in hip-hop walk us through their career journey so far with fun facts sprinkled in between, we have 17-year-old Baton Rouge rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again.

YoungBoy—formerly known as NBA YoungBoy—isn't even 18 yet but he raps like a man twice his age. His music is raw and spiritual, but not in a religious sense; this guy evokes emotion. His street narratives are brutally honest, which is a result of what he’s seen and experienced at a young age.

Born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, the rapper broke his neck when he was 4 years old while wrestling. He had to wear a halo brace during recovery and the three signature scars on his forehead are a result of using the equipment.

YoungBoy, who was raised by his grandmother, dropped out of school when he was in ninth grade. Shortly after, he was arrested for robbery and stayed in a juvenile detention center in Tallulah, La. While locked up, he wrote songs and planned his next moves. In 2015, he released his first mixtape, Life Before Fame, followed by Mind of a Menace. Then Mind of a Menace 2 and 3plus 38 Baby.

As YB's momentum grew, he was arrested, along with multiple members of his crew, before a concert in Austin, Texas on Nov. 28, 2016. He was extradited to his hometown of Baton Rouge and later charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder. His bond was set at $200,000. XXLspoke to him while he was in jail about what he planned to do when he got out and what he learned from the situation.